This book was only ok for me. It had great moments, and then there'd be a moment to take away from it. Whether intentional, or not, the book felt trite and try-hard.

I don't think I'd recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette
Contemporary romance. First person, alternating POV. Second chance and friends to lovers troupes. Dual timeline via memories.
Maeve and Finn get a new contract as podcasters contingent on their ratings. If they win the listeners, Maeve will break the glass ceiling on being the highest paid. But to succeed, Maeve and Finn need their old compatibility back. Finn wants it desperately but Maeve doesn’t believe they can work together without arguing.
Maeve and Finn have known each other and been friends since they were young. She is a clinical psychologist and they use that plus dating trends and issues as their podcast platform, playing off each other. When they crossed the line from friendship to lovers, things were great, until they weren’t.

The beginning scene of the two arguing, was too much for me and I had to put it aside for a week. I’m just not comfortable with confrontational couples. Starting a bit further in, the story became lighter and entertaining with the two personalities and the different times. Fortunately each chapter that is in the past, includes a headline of exactly when it occurs, which was helpful for continuity.
Knowing Finn’s feelings gave this romance a big push towards heartfelt tenderness and love.
Gratifying and satisfying.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

I enjoyed reading Tell Me How You Really Feel. Maeve is such a well- written character, especially with how her anxiety is explained and shown throughout the story. It's such an accurate representation of how anxiety can be your worst enemy, but also how you can mistake a gut feeling for anxiety too.

Initially, I loved Finn. A man who is groveling and knows he messed up? Yeah, sign me up for that. But as the story progressed, I found myself really struggling with his character. He is a rich entitled nepo baby - who doesn't get things because they don't effect him. Rich male privilege 100%. And when he does mess up, luckily we have some strong female characters who are quick to correct him on his mistakes, but everything was still forgiven too easily in my eyes. Just.... no.

The ending was too quick to forgive him for me. 🤷‍♀️

Tell Me How You Really Feel means so many things in this book besides just the title. Told in dual perspective, the story follows Maeve and Finn as they learn to tell themselves and each other how they really feel.

Cayouette does a remarkable job at capturing the anxiety and inner struggle of opening up when you don't know how those around you will respond. Both characters are conflicted with how to open up to themselves and the others, yet are simultaneously giving advice focusing on just that.

There are many stereotypes that Maeve and Finn deal with, one of which becomes a central theme of the book, and is very important in reality. Cayouette has brought this into the story not in a way that is informational and droning, but woven into the story in such a way that shows it's importance and will stick with you.

While I did enjoy the book, and I really hope to see more books from this author, I don't think this will be one of the top five romance romance novels I recommend. Unfortunately, for those who have read Cayouette's first novel, One Last Shot, I felt the character arcs were too similar between both stories. I hope if we get a third novel, its just as entertaining but with some fresh character development.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC opportunity. This review has been left voluntarily.

I unfortunately ended up DNF-in this book. The MMC just was awful. So much miscommunication to the point it gave me anxiety lol but truly the mmc I just could not like and that derailed it for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tell Me How You Really Feel
By: Betty Cayouette
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Pub Date: 5/6/25
This is my second book from this author and the second was just as good as the first!
Maeve has spent years in school to become a therapist as her clinical hours reach their end, she and her best friend Finn start a podcast giving therapy advice. Maeve comes from a blue collar family and was always overlooked for her sister's however, Finn comes from two movie star parents, he has never wanted or had to work for anything. A question becomes can their friendship turn into something more? Can their vastly different backgrounds mesh together?

1.5 ⭐️s — Honestly if this was not an ARC, I would’ve DNF’d this… Although the premise was promising, I could not connect to it all. It was difficult to root for the relationship when both the FMC and MMC were insufferable. They both came off as caricatures and the miscommunication trope only made them seem more immature. And since this is a romance, that really killed it for me.

I also usually enjoy dual POVs and timelines but something about this felt so choppy. It was as if the plot immediately introduced the relationship at the third-act break up stage to be resolved with a classic rom-com grand gesture at the 77% mark to then have a final 3 1/2 act break up.

While I do appreciate the author trying to incorporate deeper topics — anxiety rep and discussion of the gender pay gap in the entertainment industry, it did not feel like it had a place in the book. I feel like both could’ve been developed further so it wouldn’t feel forced.

I don’t know— just wasn’t for

Tell me how you really feel is a rom com for the masses that is a feel good read and laugh out loud funny. So glad I got the opportunity to read this! The cover drew me in.

Podcasters Maeve and Finn got a blockbuster deal for their viral sex and relationships podcast, "Tell Me How You Really Feel." The two can no longer stand to be near each other anymore, which would ruin the deal. Maeve wants to keep the show going, and Finn is set on winning her back.

The story is told in two timelines, one consisting of flashbacks to the start of their show, and the other is the present. In the present, we see Finn with his famous parents, who keep pushing him into joining Hollywood with them. Maeve has a more humble origin and wants to support her sisters. Both are motivated to make the podcast work, especially when they're up against a vitriolic agitator of a podcaster. This forces them together, confronting their feelings for each other, their past, and even the industry itself. Podcasting is another branch of media and potentially Hollywood at this point, and the glass ceiling where women are paid less than men exists here as well. Maeve’s anxiety is a real issue as well, and we see how Finn's privileges from his upbringing mean he doesn't notice the things that make her anxious or the inequalities that she regularly faces.

This book is a romance, with the initial relationship as well as a second chance romance. The two of them really care about each other, which is why there was the capacity to wound as well. As they go through on their podcast, apologies need acknowledgement of the wrong done, as well as a plan to move forward. That happens here, with both Maeve and Finn learning how to communicate and build on their love.

I was nervous going into this one because I really LOVED the author's last book and am usually here for a good second chance romance, bonus when it involves a podcast storyline with forced proximity. That said, the two MCs act like children throughout this book despite being so-called 'relationship experts' and the miscommunication trope was heavy as well. Just a miss for me, despite decent anxiety rep (her) and thoughtful insights into the wage gap between men and women in the entertainment industry. Audiobook lovers note that not even my fav narrator Brittany Pressley could make this good for me :( Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review I wish I had liked it more.

this was unfortunately not the book for me.

after many times trying to get into the story to read it, it just never happened sadly. I wanted to love this one, it sounded like a great read, the cover is cute and i love the title.

I enjoyed reading Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette

The blurb drew me into this one, but unfortunately the execution didn’t keep me interested. I thought the characters were immature, and I never could really understand why they gave advice but never took their own advice. It felt full of contradictions and the characters just lacked common sense on a basic level. There were also many messages (gender pay gap, female empowerment, anxiety) tossed in the story, but I’m not sure they should’ve been.

Basically, it was one big miscommunication trope without a clear focus, muffled messages, and two characters who I wasn’t really sure why they’d want to be together.

Fans of the miscommunication trope, podcast-adjacent stories, and dual timelines may enjoy this one more than I did.

I absolutely loved Betty's first book so I've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of her second. I was so excited to get an ARC copy of it! Unfortunately, I was really disappointed by it and I hate to even have to give a poor review. I didn't even want to finish it, but I stuck it out to the end. I did not connect with the characters - I didn't find either of them to be very likeable, which made it hard to root for them to be together or care much about their relationship. Maeve and Finn give perfect relationship advice on their podcast but can't seem to follow it for themselves in real life which felt like a huge disconnect. I did enjoy Maeve's push for equality in pay for women in the entertainment industry, but then it did feel like too much towards the end.

Thank you to Netgalley, Betty Cayouette and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Tell Me How You Really Feel is a second chance, friends to lovers romance that follows podcasters, Maeve and Finn.

I really loved One Last Shot by Betty Cayouette, so I was really excited to read this one. Unfortunately, this book fell extremely flat for me. I tried to read this on both audio and e-ARC format, but couldn't connect at all with the story or the characters in any way. While I didn't get to the end of this one, I found myself only getting more and more frustrated with their dynamic and the lack of communication between these two.

I appreciated the dual timeline to this story & the context it gives to Maeve & Finn's relationship. I also really appreciated the constant conversations surrounding sexism & the gender gaps within the industry/society. That was definitely the highlight for me from what I read.

This could easily be a matter of right book, wrong person or right book, wrong time. I enjoyed Betty's writing in One Last Shot so much that it hurts to do this with her new release!

I enjoyed the podcast aspect of this one. Unfortunately that's about it. I couldn't stand the characters. It made it really difficult to care about their relationship. I kept hoping for some redeeming qualities but there were too few. Maeve at least had some growth. I didn't like Finn from the beginning and I didn't like him at the end either. I did however thoroughly adore his parents.

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette

My sincere thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I give my unbiased opinion of Tell Me How You Really Feel in the following review.

This book is about Maeve and Finn who have a wildly popular podcast that has just inked a huge deal making them in the running for the highest paid podcasters ever. They met in college and come from two different worlds with Finn being the son of a respected Hollywood actress and director. Maeve came from a family where it was tough to make ends meet. Their podcast is mostly about sex advice and positivity. Maeve has dreams of doing a therapy-based podcast that will be like nothing done before. The tough part for Maeve is that she can't seem to catch a break without the help of Finn's connections. They have a falling out right as they get their deal and working together is almost impossible. Is the podcast in jeopardy? Do they really hate one another?

This book was pretty frustrating. Maeve and Finn give relationship advice but can't seem to see how they are ruining their own. Neither acted their age when the going got tough. I appreciated how Maeve was trying to break through and make a place for women in podcasting, and I could see why she would be frustrated with Finn. He was pretty clueless for most of the book. If his mother would not have gotten on his case, I don't know if he would have figured out what he was doing wrong in his own life as well as in his relationship with Maeve.

What I did like was how the story was bringing attention to the gap between what men and women in the entertainment and digital industry are making. I really know little about what goes into a podcast, so I found the behind-the-scenes info interesting. All in all, the writing was good, and I saw the potential in this story, but for me personally, it was not executed as well as I thought it could have been.

This book was super cute! I loved the podcast theme with the two of them. I liked their external and internal banter. Going back and forth with their perspectives was also something I enjoyed! Thank you for this ARC!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for this e-arc.

I enjoy the story's podcast part, the tension, and the forced connection. The parallel timeline provides complexity by showing us both their stormy beginnings and their current challenges as they develop popularity and old wounds. I'm looking forward to the next book by this author!!

Quick Summary: An upside down, inside out, first-second-third chance romance

My Review: Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette is an emotionally heavy contemporary novel. It is scheduled for release on 5/6/25.

About the Book: "Podcasters Maeve and Finn have just gotten a life-changing, blockbuster deal for their viral sex and relationships podcast, Tell Me How You Really Feel. Unfortunately, given their history, they can barely be in the same room together.

Now, Maeve needs to find a way to keep the show going without letting Finn completely ruin her."

In My Own Words: Two twenty-something adults with issues go from friends to lovers to enemies in the span of a heartbeat. Poor choices, dysfunctional thinking, insecurities, and privilege tell the story.

What I Liked/Loved:

- I liked that both characters were imperfect. Their flaws made them easy to relate to.

- I liked that the author featured a character who owned her mental health issues in a positive way.

- I liked the differences in regard to the backgrounds of the leads. It gave an opposites attract vibe.

- I liked that sexuality and the freedom to express one's truths related to it was spoken about so openly on the podcast.

- I liked that Maeve's family was so supportive of her.


What I Did Not Care for or Understand:

- I did not care for the excuses or the man-child tantrums from Finn.

- I did not like how Cassidy manipulated a situation to her advantage then later walked it back.

- I did not like how Finn's parents presented a scenario that could potentially prove to be fatal to their son's relationship with the woman he said he loved.

- I did not understand how some major red flag issues between Maeve and Finn were dealt with at times.

Question: Did Finn every really truly understand (for himself) why Maeve was upset (like for real for real)?

My Final Say: This story read much like a women's fiction novel instead of as a romance. It dealt with some heavy hitting issues. The truth of the matter is that I liked it, but it was very challenging. There were a number of the characters that I was not feeling. I understood Maeve's delicate position and the emotional rollercoaster she was on, but I was slightly annoyed with her for apologizing when I felt she did not have to do so. Likewise, Finn, though I felt for him in a way, I did not like what he did time after time. He demonstrated his privileged ignorance, as well as immaturity, by way of his clueless actions.

There was a lot of growth and healing that needed to occur with this couple.

At the end of the day, I can say this...

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

Original
Tear-jerker
Realistic

My Takeaways:

- Relationships can be messy. Our choices don't have to be.
- Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
- Treat your partner with the same courtesy, compassion, and love that you would want.

Rating: 3.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: NA/A
Status/Level: 👍

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. I am grateful for the opportunity.